April 22, 2005 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E743 EPA does not issue CWA permits solely for has an income below $18,000. Whatever the The city of Dilley and the people of Frio the direct application of a pesticide to target a reason, she cannot shop, cook, or prepare County have benefited greatly from the work pest that is present in or over water, nor has meals for herself. She relies on Meals on he has done, and I am proud to have the it ever stated in any general policy or guid- Wheels and other senior nutrition programs to chance to thank him here today. ance that a permit is required for such applica- ensure she gets proper nutrition. f tions. EPA recently issued rulemaking specifi- The demand for the services Meals on HONORING LAIRD & COMPANY cally exempting pesticide applications per- Wheels and other senior nutrition programs formed according to label instructions from provide will continue to increase at an as- CWA permitting requirements. The action tounding pace. As many of you know, the over HON. RUSH D. HOLT would codify a 30-year-old policy. 65 population in the United States is growing OF NEW JERSEY By transferring the primacy of pesticide use and is projected to increase dramatically. In IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES from FIFRA to CWA, the 9th Circuit has au- fact, those individuals age 85 or older, is the Thursday, April 21, 2005 thorized attorneys representing activist groups fastest growing segment of the entire United Mr. HOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to to file lawsuits to bully and intimidate farmers, States population. honor Laird & Company on its 225th Anniver- mosquito abatements districts, the U.S. De- Meals on Wheels and other senior nutrition sary as a family, owned and operated New partment of Agriculture and others into ceas- programs are also an excellent use of our in- Jersey business located in Scobeyville, New ing long and widely practiced activities that creasingly scarce federal dollars. They save Jersey. Laird & Company is the oldest li- have been authorized by—and already are federal Medicare, Medicaid, and veterans’ censed distiller in the United States and is closely overseen by—Federal and state gov- health care costs since malnourished patients most well known for its famous Applejack. ernments. stay in a hospital nearly twice as long as well The history of Laird & Company is very rich. While the EPA’s rulemaking is a step in the nourished seniors. In addition, for every fed- The company can trace its origin back to 1698 right direction, many groups are concerned eral dollar spent as part of these programs as when William Laird moved to Monmouth that it will not provide the necessary protection much as three dollars are leveraged from County, New Jersey from Scotland and began from activist lawsuits. The legislation I am in- other funding sources, including state, local making Scotch by using one of the most abun- troducing today would make permanent the and private funds and participant contributions dant resources in the area, apples. He made EPA’s current rulemaking related to pesticide toward the cost of meals. this brandy for his own family, friends and applications and CWA permits as well as its I was proud to participate in the Meals on neighbors. 30-year-old rule exempting certain forestry ac- Wheels Association of America’s ‘‘March for During the Revolutionary War, Robert Laird tivities. Moreover, it would provide much-need- Meals’’ last month. I joined volunteers from served under George Washington and during ed protection from nuisance suits for groups Meals on Wheels of Salem County, New Jer- the Battle of Monmouth, the Laird family would that already are too heavily regulated. sey in delivering meals and witnessed first supply the troops with Applejack. Washington f hand both the need for these important pro- enjoyed Applejack and personally requested grams and the incredible dedication of their the recipe to produce his own. To this day, INTRODUCTION OF THE STOP staff and volunteers. I encourage each of you Washington is the only non-Laird family mem- SENIOR HUNGER ACT OF 2005 to get involved with your local programs— ber to know the secret Laird’s Applejack rec- whether you help prepare meals, deliver ipe. HON. FRANK. A. LoBIONDO meals, or just join local seniors in enjoying During Prohibition, the company was able to OF NEW JERSEY their meals—your support can make a dif- survive by selling sweet cider and applesauce. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ference. Since the Prohibition, Laird & Company has For all of these reasons, I urge my col- produced roughly 95 percent of all Applejack Thursday, April 21, 2005 leagues in the House to support the ‘‘Stop apple brandy sold in the United States. Laird Mr. LOBIONDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise here Senior Hunger Act of 2005.’’ & Company halted their production of Apple- today in support of the ‘‘Stop Senior Hunger f jack during World War II to aid in the war ef- Act of 2005.’’ This important piece of legisla- fort by converting their plant to dry and dehy- tion reauthorizes vital senior nutrition pro- HONORING THE CONTRIBUTIONS drate apple pomace for pectin and other prod- grams. These programs help these men and OF FRIO COUNTY COMMISSIONER ucts. women in cities, suburbs and rural commu- JOSE ‘‘PEPE’’ FLORES Laird & Company was recognized by the nities across America who are elderly, home- New Jersey State Senate in 1964 as the ‘‘old- bound, disabled, frail or at risk. They help HON. HENRY CUELLAR est native distilled spirit beverage in the United those with long-term illnesses and those who OF TEXAS States.’’ The plant in Scobeyville, New Jersey may just need a little short-term assistance IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES is the oldest operating distillery in the country after a hospital stay or during a time of need. Thursday, April 21, 2005 and it produces close to 1.5 million cases of In the words of the Meals-on-Wheels Associa- Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recog- distilled spirits annually. I rise today to commend Laird & Company tion of America, the oldest and largest national nize the many accomplishments of Frio Pre- in its 225th year as a family owned and oper- organization representing senior meal pro- cinct Four County Commissioner Jose ‘‘Pepe’’ ated business with a deep history. I applaud grams in the United States, these programs Flores. are needed ‘‘so no senior goes hungry.’’ Mr. Flores has a strong and varied back- the service that Laird & Company has made to The ‘‘Stop Senior Hunger Act of 2005’’ reau- ground in public service. He graduated from the individuals and communities of Central thorizes through 2010 both congregate and Dilley High School, and from SuI Ross Univer- New Jersey and the country. home delivered nutrition services—those sity in 1970 with a Bachelor’s Degree in f meals provided at local senior centers and Chemistry. He subsequently received his cer- TRIBUTE TO LAWRENCE DUNHAM those meals delivered to homebound seniors. tification as a Medical Technician. It also reauthorizes the Nutrition Services In- He has worked as a drug abuse counselor, HON. DONALD M. PAYNE centive program which provides additional a college teacher at the University of Texas, OF NEW JERSEY funds to states based on each state’s share of and a Halliburton Oilfield Engineer, among IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES the total meals served by Meals on Wheels other professions. He has also been part of and other senior nutrition programs in all several important community organizations, in- Thursday, April 21, 2005 states the prior year. cluding the Tax Appraisal District, the Rio Mr. PAYNE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor an The average beneficiary may be very famil- Grande Water District, and the Dilley Inde- outstanding State Department professional, iar to you—she may be your mother, your pendent School District School Board. Lawrence Dunham, as he retires after three grandmother or your next door neighbor. She Mr. Flores now serves the public as County decades of dedicated government service. is an elderly woman in her very late seventies Commissioner for Frio County. He owns and Mr. Dunham served as Assistant Chief of or early eighties and is more than twice as operates a ranch in South Texas, and is mar- Protocol for Diplomatic Affairs at the State De- likely as her contemporaries to live alone, ried to Jennifer Flores, with whom he has two partment and also assumed the position of apart from family and friends. She is likely to children. Acting Chief of Protocol when he was des- have trouble with walking or climbing stairs Mr. Flores has distinguished himself as an ignated to manage the transition from the Clin- and have a number of diagnosed chronic energetic, hardworking, and versatile busi- ton to the Bush administration. He is well-re- health conditions. In addition, she probably nessman and public servant. spected by Members of Congress from both

VerDate jul 14 2003 01:35 Apr 23, 2005 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\A21AP8.057 E22PT1